Robert Battle News

Jerry Herman's Broadway classic MAME, with 26-piece orchestra, will be staged by Light Opera Works at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, August 20 through 28.

(New York) – July 13, 2016 – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congress as “a vital American cultural ambassador to the world,” returns to the United Kingdom, Lausanne, Switzerland, and Copenhagen, Denmark to perform a dozen ballets from September 6 – October 30. Robert Battle will lead Ailey through the UK (September 9 – October 19) for the first time since becoming Artistic Director, including the Company's inaugural visits to Southampton and Canterbury, England. Presented by Dance Consortium, the UK engagement will include 10 works performed across 10 cities. The Company will then head to the Salle Métropole in Lausanne (October 22 – 23) and The Tivoli Concert Hall in Copenhagen (October 26 – 30). Bank of America is the lead sponsor of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's 2016 and 2017 international tours.

Jesse Obremski, a Juilliard graduate, has been selected the 2016 Jadin Wong Dance Fellow in Dance. This is the third year the Asian American Arts Alliance has administered this award on behalf of the New York Community Trust. The fellowship goes to an Asian American dancer/choreographer who is age 30 or under and is based in New York City. Mr. Obremski was selected in an open application process by a high-level review panel.

Hubbard Street 2, the young second company of the world-renowned Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, will present Mariko's Magical Mix: A Dance Adventure for their Jacob's Pillow debut, in the Doris Duke Theatre, tonight, July 13-17.

Battery Dance, in association with Battery Park City Authority, announces the 35th Annual Battery Dance Festival (formerly the Downtown Dance Festival), with free performances on August 14-19, 2016, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm against the breathtaking backdrop of the New York Harbor at Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park in Battery Park City, culminating in a closing event and reception on August 20, 2016, from 6pm to 8:30pm at The Schimmel Center at Pace University. For more information visit http://batterydance.org/battery-dance-festival/

Hubbard Street 2, the young second company of the world-renowned Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, will present Mariko's Magical Mix: A Dance Adventure for their Jacob's Pillow debut, in the Doris Duke Theatre, July 13-17.

Battery Dance, in association with Battery Park City Authority, announces the 35th Annual Battery Dance Festival (formerly the Downtown Dance Festival), with free performances on August 14-19, 2016, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm against the breathtaking backdrop of the New York Harbor at Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park in Battery Park City, culminating in a closing event and reception on August 20, 2016, from 6pm to 8:30pm at The Schimmel Center at Pace University. For more information visit http://batterydance.org/battery-dance-festival/

Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance continues its collaboration with Fathom Events this summer with encore screenings of three of its inaugural dance presentations: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Hispanico, and San Francisco Ballet.  The three presentations will be shown in approximately 115 theaters nationwide.  Lincoln Center at the Movies was launched in fall of 2015 with Great American Dance, a series presenting performances by four of American's leading dance companies (New York City Ballet's George Balanchine's The Nutcracker was the fourth event in the series).

A month ago while Jessica Lang was in Utah working with Ballet West, I rang her to interview her about her incredible year of ongoing success. Years ago I took class with Robert Battle and struck up a dance friendship with his company dancers including Jessica's husband Kanji Segawa. But I have never met Jessica herself. Of course she is the 'It Woman' of dance so I know a bit about her. With her embarrassment of accolades one would have to have their head buried in the sand not to. Besides the rapturous praise she has received for her work, she has also secured numerous commissions (American Ballet Theatre, Birmingham Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Japan at the New National Theatre Tokyo, Joffrey Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Ballet San Jose, Richmond Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Ailey II, ABT II, Hubbard Street 2, and New York City Ballet's Choreographic Institute, among many others), received many high profile awards (New York City Center Fellow for 2015, 2014 Bessie Award, 2013 Manchester Theatre Award, grants from Jerome Robbins Foundation, the NEA, the Choo San Goh Foundation, and a 2010 Joyce Theater Artist Residency supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation), is opening her own dance center in Long Island City, and is celebrating her company's 5th Anniversary Season at the Joyce. But how did she come to all of this?

Ailey celebrates NYC Dance Week - a citywide festival from June 16th - 25th that promotes the joy and diversity of dance - with FREE class offers at The Ailey Extension and inspiring performances by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at Lincoln Center, through June 19th. 

Alvin Ailey American Dance Center is now presenting their 2016 at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater through June 19th. See the company's stunning displays of modern dance that celebrate the African-American cultural experience.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's two-week spring engagement at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater kicks off today, Wednesday, June 8th with The Ailey Spirit Gala, a one-night-only benefit performance and party.

Lerner and Loewe's Broadway classic MY FAIR LADY, with 28-piece orchestra, will be staged by Light Opera Works at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, June 4 through 12.

Artistic Director Robert Battle welcomes new Company members Ashley Mayeux and Solomon Dumas, and returning dancer Constance Stamatiou in time for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's two-week 15-performance engagement at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts' David H. Koch Theater June 8th - 19th, 2016.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's two-week spring engagement at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater kicks off on Wednesday, June 8th with The Ailey Spirit Gala, a one-night-only benefit performance and party.  

Sadler's Wells has announced its Autumn / Winter 2016 Season.

The Steps Beyond Foundation, Steps on Broadway's non-profit arm committed to connecting artists and the community through dialogue, performance, and artistic collaboration, announces a 3-day weekend performance celebration May 6-8, 2016 at Ailey Citigroup Theater. The weekend will commence May 6 with the Steps Repertory and Guests Benefit, featuring performances by American Dance Machine, Jon Ole Olstad, choreography by Al Blackstone and the staging of a Swan Lake variation by Elena Kunikova to be danced by a student at Steps. Audiences will also enjoy performances by students of the Steps Conservatory Program and pre-professional students at The School at Steps, with staging by the legendary Leslie Browne. May 7-8, Steps Repertory Ensemble will present a full evening of works by Artistic Director Bradley Shelver and leading choreographers Lar Lubovitch, Sidra Bell, Julia Ehrstrand, and Jae Man Joo.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world's most popular dance companies, will return to Birmingham Hippodrome for the first time in six years and present two exhilarating programmes on 23 & 24 September during its autumn tour 2016.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world's most popular dance companies, will return to the UK for the first time in six years to present 10 works during six exhilarating programmes.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater makes a triumphant return to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) for three performances, May 6-8 --- the final stop on a 20-city tour that began in Washington, D.C. and reaches from coast to coast. Beloved as one of the world's most popular dance companies, Alvin Ailey's pioneering legacy of uplifting, uniting, and celebrating the human spirit lives on as Ailey's extraordinary dancers bring a wide array of premieres, new productions, and classics to life.